Marriott Bonvoy (Finally) Extends Elite Status Through 2022

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Marriott is in the process of sending out emails signed by Arne Sorensen (Marriott President and CEO) in which the hotelier finally confirms that, amongst other things, it is extending elite status for all Bonvoy members through February 2022.

Here’s What Marriott Just Announced

  • All Marriott Bonvoy elite statuses earned in 2019 (that members should be enjoying right now) will be extended for a year – they will no longer expire in February 2021, they’ll be valid through the end of February 2022.
  • Marriott Bonvoy points extensions have now been paused until February 2021 (in an announcement back in March, Marriott had paused points expirations through August this year).
  • For guests with existing individual reservations, including reservations with pre-paid rates that are typically more restrictive, Marriott will allow changes or cancellation without a charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival as long as the change or cancellation is made by 30 June 2020.
  • For guests making new individual reservations for any future date by 30 June 2020 (including reservations with pre-paid rates), Marriott will allow those reservations to be changed or canceled at no charge up to 24 hours before a guest’s scheduled arrival date.

Here’s What Marriott Had Previously Announced

  • Marriott has announced that all Suite Night Awards with an expiration date of 31 December 2020 will have that expiration date extended by a year to 31 December 2021.
  • Members who currently have active Free Night Awards expiring in 2020 as part of their credit card benefits package, annual choice benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to use that award through 31 January 2021.

Quick Thoughts

It’s about time.

Had Marriott announced these measures a couple of weeks ago it would have been getting quite a lot of kudos from the travel community, but now it just looks like the world’s biggest hotelier was forced into these moves by the recent announcements from Hilton and Hyatt.

I have no skin in this game because I already have Lifetime Titanium staus with Marriott Bonvoy so it makes no difference to me whether Marriott extends elite statuses or not, but it’s still annoying to see the world’s biggest hotel loyalty program desperately trying to do as little as possible for its members and only making positive moves when it’s forced to do so.

While Hyatt and Hilton have earned a lot of credit in the past few weeks for at least appearing to want to do the right thing by their customers, Marriott has just appeared aloof and reluctant to join in…and that’s not a good look.

Bottom Line

I’m genuinely delighted for all Marriott Bonvoy elites that they’re getting elite status extended through 2022, but let’s be very clear about one thing – Marriott Bonvoy is extending elite statuses because it felt it had no choice and not because it wanted to. That takes a significant amount of gloss off this announcement.

11 COMMENTS

    • No, but you get a titanium star on a wall inside Marriott HQ so that your memory lives on in perpetuity…or until the building is remodeled.

  1. Too late – I’m Titan… who earned Life Plat… Switching to Hilton. Bonvoy is way TOO exploitative of guests & employees.

  2. Marriott has also removed the “free night annual award” listing from my account. Still get it, but you remember to use it and call their RSVP line to apply it to a reservation. So will probably change my Chase card from Marriott to Hilton or Sapphire.

  3. Marriott has its flaws but I will never, never go back to Hilton. I was a Hilton Diamond member for over 5 years and NEVER received a status upgrade at any of their properties. I wrote to the company HQ and received a response stating that’s because all of the hotels are full, which is a bunch of BS! I cut up the Hilton credit card and switched to Marriott and have been a happy camper ever since. I am Titanium and get upgraded 90% of the time without even asking. I had over 600,000 point left over at Hilton so I am using those up as fast as I can. Due to this fiasco going on I my Diamond status was extended another year. Big whoop!

  4. I’m a lifetime platinum myself and have noticed a discernible decline customer service and perks. I used to be upgraded to suites on a fairly regular basis but that is so rare now that I’ve even stopped asking. They kept saying that they’re completely full and I kept seeing partially filled parking lots (must be some kind of policy change). Other than points and a breakfast (that my company would pay for anyway) what am I getting now for my 100 nights a year? I’ll use this downtime to research other hotel programs. Marriott used to get it. Don’t know what happened.

  5. Just off the phone with Marriott; shared my reason for calling about status changes X3; Cheryl, Dorothy and finally Sophia. Cheryl and Dorothy exemplified the customer service I expect to receive—-listened well first and foremost, Re-stated my concerns and escalated as requested so I could reach resolution. In final discussion with Sophia she did not listen, in fact spoke angrily over my soft, calm voice and kept spewing “the rules”. No thoughtful, caring customer service for years of brand loyalty. Had been grandfathered into Lifetime Platinum Status and in March downgraded to Gold. So much for brand loyalty. Too many other players out there for Marriott to be lagging in customer service. My brand loyalty hangs in the balance while I await “final word” from Marriott Loyalty Office.

  6. About time they extended their earned elite status. Marriott is a laggard. I am Titanium Elite Lifetime and have the Chase Marriott Visa Signature card. Ever since I got this card, Marriott has chased me incessantly to “upgrade” my card to another card which has fewer perks. I am not changing. However, once they cancel this card and try to replace it with the other card, I am switching cards to a Hilton card and moving most of my business toward Hilton Properties. In addition, as I have seen in several comments, my experience also is that I do not receive any upgrades at check in any more. The excuse is always we are full. That is a ruse, since in most cases the parking lot is almost empty or the evening bar business is slow. You know as an experienced traveler that the property is not near capacity. Ever since they started handing out (not free but earned) ‘Suite’ Upgrade Certificates, Marriott properties seldom upgrade their elite status clients. I have had several front desk managers indicate just that. Marriott’s customer service definitely needs an overhaul.

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